Oh, Glasgow Art Club, how I love you for your beautiful woodwork, your intimate setting, your arched collar ceiling, and your wonderful, hilarious staff; if only you sounded better. The long gallery is not kind to the ears. The piano, accordion and bagpipes are greedy for attention in any sound mix, and in that small space, they overwhelm fiddles and guitars.
That grumbled, this show was a work of love and quite a lot of fun. These songs and tunes were collected by Alasdair Paul, who beamed throughout the performance. The artists (Gillian Frame – fiddle, viola, vocals; Angus Lyon – piano, accordion; Ali Hutton – pipes. whistle, guitar; Ross Kennedy – song;Deirdre Graham – Gaelic song; plus special guest Innes Watson – fiddle, guitar) did a bang up job, sound limitations not withstanding. The sound crew worked some miracles, and by the end of the first half, all of the musicians’ talents could be appreciated on the Corriegills set.
The two vocalists for the evening, Ross Kennedy and Deirdre Graham, were an interesting contrast. Kennedy has the classic bold folksinger voice, while Graham’s is delicate and sweet. Her Oran na Dighe was a highlight of the evening. The final set of the evening, Shiskine Barn Dance, followed by the Arran Boat Song done as a reel sent us out into the cold, cold Glasgow night smiling.

I do encourage anyone reading this to buy the CD, Eilean mo Ghaoil (on Brechin All Records). Hearing the music again this morning made me want to see the show all over again. The female vocalist on the CD is not the same as in the show, but her voice is just as sweet and lovely as Graham’s.